led in a larger environment. But the check
on this molecule isn't working, here!"

* * * * *

The booming voice of the Planetary President went on and on and on.
Memoranda of events taking place were handed to him, and he read them
and argued with the paras who had tried to rush the north gate of
Government Center, to make its inhabitants paras like themselves. But
the Planetary President tried to make oratory a weapon against
madness.

Calhoun grimaced at the voice. He said fretfully:

"There's a molecule which has to exist because it can. It's a part of
a normal environment, but it doesn't normally produce paras. Now it
does! Why? What is the compound or the condition that controls its
abundance? Why is it missing here? What is lacking? What?"

The police-frequency speaker suddenly rattled, as if someone shouted
into a microphone.

"_All police cars! Paras have broken through a building wall on the
west side! They're pouring into the Center! All cars rush! Set
blasters at full power and use them! Drive them back or kill them!_"

The grid operator turned angry, bitter eyes upon Calhoun.

"The paras--we paras!--don't want to be cured!" he said fiercely. "Who'd
want to be normal again and remember when he ate scavengers? I haven't
yet, but--who'd be able to talk to a man he knew had devoured ...
devoured--" The grid operator swallowed. "We paras want everybody to be
like us, so we can endure being what we are! We can't take it any other
way--except by dying!"

He stood up. He reached for the blaster Calhoun had put aside when he
changed from the clothes he'd worn in the city.

"...And I'll take it that way!"

Calhoun whirled. His fist snapped out. The grid operator reeled out.
The blaster dropped from his hand. Murgatroyd cried out shrilly, from
his cubbyhole. He hated violence, did Murgatroyd.

Calhoun stood over the operator, raging:

"It's not that bad yet! You haven't yawned once! You can stand the
need for monstrousness for a long while yet! And I need you!"

He turned away. The President's voice boomed. It cut off abruptly.
Another voice took its place. And this was the bland and unctuous
voice of Dr. Lett.

"_My friends! I am Dr. Lett! I have been entrusted with all the powers
of the government because I, and I alone, have all the power over the
cause of the para condition. From this moment I am the government! To
paras--you need not be cured unless you choose. The